A known hydrodynamic torque converter is schematically and partially illustrated in FIG. 1 and makes it possible to transmit a torque from the output shaft of an internal combustion engine in a motor vehicle, such as for instance a crankshaft 1, to a transmission input shaft 2.
The torque converter conventionally comprises an impeller wheel 3, able to hydrokinetically drive a turbine wheel 4 through a reactor 5.
The impeller wheel 3 is coupled to the crankshaft 1 and the turbine wheel 4 is coupled to guiding washers 6.
A first group of elastic members 7a, 7b of the compression spring type is mounted between the guiding washers 6 and a central hub 8 coupled to the transmission input shaft 2. The elastic members 7a, 7b of the first group are arranged in series through a phasing member 9, so that said elastic members 7a, 7b are deformed in phase with each other, with said phasing member 9 being movable relative to the guiding washers 6 and relative to the hub 8.
A second group of elastic members 7c is mounted with some clearance between the guiding washers 6 and the central hub 8 in parallel with the first group of elastic members 7a, 7b, with said elastic members 7c being adapted to be active on a limited angular range, more particularly at the end of the angular travel of the guiding washers 6 relative to the central hub 8. The angular travel, or the angular shift noted α, of the guiding washers 6 relative to the hub 8, is defined relative to a rest position (α=0) wherein no torque is transmitted through damping means formed by the above-mentioned elastic members 7a, 7b. 
The torque converter further comprises clutch means 10 adapted to transmit a torque from the crankshaft 1 to the guiding washers 6 in a determined operation phase, without any action from the impeller wheel 3 and the turbine wheel 4.
The second group of elastic members 7c makes it possible to increase the stiffness of the damping means at the end of the angular travel, i.e. for a significant α angular offset of the guiding washers 6 relative to the hub 8 (or vice versa).
Document U.S. Pat. No. 7,938,243 also discloses a torque converter of the prior art. This converter comprises a cover, intended to be rotationally coupled to a crankshaft, an impeller wheel rotationally coupled to the cover and able to hydrokinetically drive a turbine wheel, through a reactor, and a ribbed hub intended to be coupled to a transmission input shaft. The torque converter further comprises clutch means movable between an engaged position in which the cover and the hub are rotationally coupled through damping means, and a disengaged position in which the cover and the hub are rotationally coupled through the impeller wheel and the turbine wheel. A first bearing is mounted between the impeller wheel and the reactor. A second bearing is mounted between the reactor and the turbine wheel. Such bearings are needle thrust bearings.
Such bearings are relatively bulky in the axial direction and are very expensive.